Open source wall-wart computer
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10170648-54.html
-- 
   Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
   My fortune cookie said, "You will soon be
   unable to read this, even at arm's length."

Post a reply to this message

Darren New <dne### [at] sanrrcom> wrote:
> Open source wall-wart computer
> http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10170648-54.html

  Given that it runs linux, I really can't understand this: "It seems that
the only way to interact with it is via a Web browser."

  Exactly what stops it from supporting SSH, the de-facto way of using a
unix computer remotely?

-- 
                                                          - Warp

Post a reply to this message

Warp wrote:
> Darren New <dne### [at] sanrrcom> wrote:
>> Open source wall-wart computer
>> http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10170648-54.html
> 
>   Given that it runs linux, I really can't understand this: "It seems that
> the only way to interact with it is via a Web browser."
> 
>   Exactly what stops it from supporting SSH, the de-facto way of using a
> unix computer remotely?

I think it's more likely a case that "web browser" and "internet" is the 
same thing to this guy, in spite of his supposed credentials. :-)  "Can't 
plug in a monitor" means "only web access" to him.

-- 
   Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
   My fortune cookie said, "You will soon be
   unable to read this, even at arm's length."

Post a reply to this message

Darren New <dne### [at] sanrrcom> wrote:
> Warp wrote:
> > Darren New <dne### [at] sanrrcom> wrote:
> >> Open source wall-wart computer
> >> http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10170648-54.html
> > 
> >   Given that it runs linux, I really can't understand this: "It seems that
> > the only way to interact with it is via a Web browser."
> > 
> >   Exactly what stops it from supporting SSH, the de-facto way of using a
> > unix computer remotely?

> I think it's more likely a case that "web browser" and "internet" is the 
> same thing to this guy, in spite of his supposed credentials. :-)  "Can't 
> plug in a monitor" means "only web access" to him.

  It wouldn't even make any sense if the computer was only accessible
through a web browser. For example to install, configure and manage
software and their settings, they would have to develop a whole new
html-based interface and all the backing software, rather than simply
using the myriads of free, tested console-based unix programs out there
which are perfectly usable through ssh. (They could, of course, have a
simplified html frontend for configuring certain things easily with a
web browser, but it would be rather silly for it to be the *only* way
to access the system.)

-- 
                                                          - Warp

Post a reply to this message

On Wed, 25 Feb 2009 18:35:36 -0500, Warp wrote:

>   It wouldn't even make any sense if the computer was only accessible
> through a web browser. For example to install, configure and manage
> software and their settings, they would have to develop a whole new
> html-based interface and all the backing software

http://www.webmin.com

Been using that for years myself.

Jim

Post a reply to this message

Warp wrote:
>   It wouldn't even make any sense if the computer was only accessible
> through a web browser.

Agreed. I'm not even sure what it would be good for if you couldn't run your 
own stuff on it. :-)

I've seen devices that were dedicated. Looked real sweet. File server, web 
server, torrent client/server, print server, mail repository (it would 
download your mail from a variety of POP and IMAP servers and put it all in 
one place via imap and web mail for you), etc etc. And it was like $600 or 
something. But that had disk built in and all that, so it was more an 
appliance than anything.

I think this guy just doesn't know what he's talking about. Someone probably 
showed him the web front end and he didn't think any further.

-- 
   Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
   My fortune cookie said, "You will soon be
   unable to read this, even at arm's length."

Post a reply to this message

Jim Henderson <nos### [at] nospamcom> wrote:
> On Wed, 25 Feb 2009 18:35:36 -0500, Warp wrote:

> >   It wouldn't even make any sense if the computer was only accessible
> > through a web browser. For example to install, configure and manage
> > software and their settings, they would have to develop a whole new
> > html-based interface and all the backing software

> http://www.webmin.com

> Been using that for years myself.

  I suppose something like that will suffice if you never need to do
anything that it doesn't support.

-- 
                                                          - Warp

Post a reply to this message

On Wed, 25 Feb 2009 19:17:11 -0500, Warp wrote:

> Jim Henderson <nos### [at] nospamcom> wrote:
>> On Wed, 25 Feb 2009 18:35:36 -0500, Warp wrote:
> 
>> >   It wouldn't even make any sense if the computer was only accessible
>> > through a web browser. For example to install, configure and manage
>> > software and their settings, they would have to develop a whole new
>> > html-based interface and all the backing software
> 
>> http://www.webmin.com
> 
>> Been using that for years myself.
> 
>   I suppose something like that will suffice if you never need to do
> anything that it doesn't support.

Well, it also includes a Java-based SSH client. ;-)

But also for someone doing development with one of the devices mentioned 
in the root article, creation of a webmin module wouldn't be difficult....

Jim

Post a reply to this message